Few places in the United States have as strong a claim to the country’s history than Massachusetts, home to witches, Harvard and Wahlbergs. WorldAtlas recently took stock of its excellent culture, releasing a list of what they consider the Bay State’s 12 best museums. Shockingly, only two of Boston’s dozens and dozens of museums (three, if you include Cambridge, which I strongly advise against) made the list.
The round-up might be immediately controversial at the local clam chowder haunt for what it leaves out, but no one can say it doesn’t cover an impressive amount of ground, from historical homeplaces to industrial icons and world-class fine art galleries.
So MFA, Boston and Paul Revere House-heads, start reaching for that stiff drink. The rest of you, grab your Dunkin’ and let’s hit the road. For the sake of a clean and clockwise itinerary, we’ll lay these out in a circuit starting and ending in the capital.
These are the best museums in Boston, according to WorldAtlas:
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston)
One of those remarkable museums whose architecture almost surpasses its collection, the Gardner opened in 1903 in the style of a 15th-century Venetian palazzo, with what later became one of the country’s most Instagrammed interior courtyards. Centuries later, in 2012, another Italian influence came via Renzo Piano’s adjacent modernist wing. Its impressive collection boasts works by masters like Matisse, Titian, Botticelli and Sargent alongside letters and books by Dante, Sarah Bernhardt and T.S. Eliot. For the true crime-inclined, the museum’s 1990 heist is still unsolved.
Plimoth Patuxet Museums (Plymouth)
Through painstakingly accurate recreations of 17th-century life, this living history museum provides a glimpse into the original Plymouth Colony. (As for its name: well, Plimoth was the old-timey spelling, and the “Patuxet” was added in 2020 to accurately honor the area’s original Indigenous name.) This open-air town shows how the Mayflower descendents lived after their historic split from the Church of England, with a well-appointed complex of houses. There’s also an on-site market, cafe, cinema and event space, bridging the gap from our time to theirs.
Whydah Pirate Museum (Yarmouth)
No, its name is not part of a New England accent jokebook. Rather, it’s titled after the Whyday Gally pirate ship, which sank near Cape Cod in 1717 and is the only shipwreck to be ever absolutely authenticated post-mortem. The museum highlights that history with artifacts recovered from the ship, which wrecked right in the middle of piracy’s golden age, as well as other representatives of the era.
New Bedford Whaling Museum (New Bedford)
What would a New England coastline be without some seafaring? After taking in one of Boston’s famed whale watching boat tours, learn about the region’s historic industry at this gabled museum which charts the highs and lows of whaling, and tries to inspire a future for nature preservation.
Lizzie Borden House (Fall River)
One of the first and most iconic American true crime stories was born here, when 32-year-old Lizzie Borden allegedly axed her parents. She was found innocent but ostracized by the community, and now her childhood home stands as a monument to the incident. Offering gallery exhibitions, rooms to stay overnight, myriad ghost hunting opportunities and even murder mystery dinners, it’s one of the spookiest homes in the country.
Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History (Springfield)
Though it operates mostly as a research center, this Springfield institution boasts impressive collections ready-made for dad, including the world’s largest of Indian Motorcycles, which were originally produced in town from the company’s 1901 founding through 1953. Its well-stocked firearm (world’s largest Smith & Wesson!) and automobile collections make it an international hit.
Norman Rockwell Museum (Stockbridge)
The country’s hopeful image of itself would not be what it is today without the contributions of Norman Rockwell, whose Rosie the Riveter stands as one of the most recognizable and historically important symbols of feminism and industry. Though born in New York City, the painter and illustrator died in rural Stockbridge in 1978. This purpose-built museum explores his life and career via paintings, magazine covers and other works.
Worcester Art Museum (Worcester)
Stocked with works by John Singer Sargent, an array of Japanese prints and art ranging from Modern to Roman, the Worcester Art Museum also features a Medieval meeting room lifted from a 12th-century French monastery, a theatre and an ecological science museum. Located only about an hour from Boston, it makes a case for the city’s incredible culture.
Concord Museum (Concord)
The city that birthed the Revolutionary War (along with nearby Lexington) and Henry David Thoreau (he of Walden Pond fame) deserves a proper home, and the Concord Museum hosts artifacts and wisdom from both of those American stalwarts, as well as those belonging to the area’s Indigenous heritage.
Peabody Essex Museum (Salem)
One of the oldest operational museums in the country began as a place to store exotic goods collected by the area’s far-traveling seafarers in 1799. Today, it holds one of the United States’ major collections of Asian art, and a significant African contingent as well. The museum also owns 24 historic structures and gardens throughout town, preserving local architecture and histories beyond its main walls and upping its total tally of items to around 1.3 million.
Harvard Museum of Natural History (Cambridge)
One of the venerable learning institution’s six museums (not counting their specific subdivisions), its most-visited one will wow any nature lover with its collection of fossils, gemstones and famous glass flowers – exquisite, highly realistic glass botanical models. Look up! The massive skeleton of a right whale hangs from the second floor ceiling.
Metropolitan Waterworks Museum (Boston)
Originally the Chestnut Hill Pumping Station, this building became a beacon of Boston’s modernization when it began pumping water to the area in 1887. It’s now a fascinating museum that honors the innovation of running water and public life, with tours of the engine rooms and several historical exhibitions.